China's largest auto glass manufacturer, the Fuyao Glass Industry Group, has become the nation's first glass supplier for the Audi Group's car production in Europe.

Fuyao will export windscreens for about 50,000 cars from the 50th week this year to the German auto maker that produced 800,000 cars last year, according to an agreement inked yesterday between the two groups.

The figure is expected to gradually increase as Fuyao bids for other Audi vehicles in the near future, said Cho Tak-wong, Fuyao's chairman and CEO.

Co-operating with Audi, considered by auto industry players as the maker with the highest requirement for auto glass in the world, the agreement means China's auto glass manufacturing industry has finally had its first international brand, Cho said.

"With its competitive quality and price, Fuyao has the ability to offer products not only for Audi in China, but also our production in Germany," said Audi's Vice-President Karlheinz Hell.

Fuyao is currently the sole glass supplier for Audi's production in China.

Fuyao is ranked one of the top 50 suppliers for Audi in China, Hell said.

"I believe Fuyao will grow with us and take a good share of this cake," Hell said.

Having good co-operation with China's suppliers in recent years, Audi has regarded China as an important part of its global purchase network, Hell said.

As one of the nation's main luxurious car makers, Audi now produces about 600,000 A4 and A6 cars a year in Changchun, capital of Northeast China's Jilin Province.

As well as Audi, Fuyao has so far supplied global auto giants including the Korea-based Hyundai, US-based GM and Japan-based Mitsubishi and Isuzu since 2003.

Located in Fuqing in Fujian Province, Fuyao is the leading Chinese firm in glass manufacturing, occupying 52 per cent of the market share in the domestic OEM market and 60 per cent of the nation's auto glass exports.

(China Daily June 2, 2005)